Boozy Revelry, Genteel Ritual By Sally Quinn night balls of the of Rex nicipal Auditorium where the and the Mystik Krew of Comus court of Rex reignt on one side — In New and the meeting of the two and the court of Comus sits on York people go "shrinks." In courts at midnight, marking the the other. California they have group en- end of the week-long Mardi The Rex side of the audito- counters and sexually liberated Gras celebration and the begin- rium is larger because , more communes. It other places they ning of Lent. And if only the people. are allowed to tome. have religion. • elite, privileged white Gentiles Rex is the democratic may take part that's okay too. Mardi In New Orleans they have Gras organization to Somehow the people on the which politically . ambitious or Mardi Gras. street like to know it's going on. civic-minded citizens belong and Everything that leads up to The Comus parade, the most in which Jews (but, not blacks) Mardi Gras night is only prep- elegant of all Mardi Gras, starts are allowed as members and as aration and anticipation for the at night and winds its way guests. great spectacular—the Tuesday through the streets to the Mu- See CARNIVAL, E3, Col. I

Accompanied by the masked court, the Queen of Rex and King of Comus, followed by the Queen of Comm and the King of Rex, at the meeting of the two courts which marked the end of Mardi Gras, left. Earlier Tuesday,. thousands packed Canal Street as the float bearing Rex, King of Carnival, passed, right.

Associated Press

Lk). S 3/k/3 TrItawn.-14,r2a1 CARNIVAL, From El gold and ermine-drapes tnrone sur- "This is worse than the inaugural rounded by their pages and masses of ball. Anyone but anyone can come," yellow and white flowers and awaited said a pained member of Rex who the big moment when the Captain of also belongs to Comus. "You'll see Comus—masked, of course—would anything here, but it's a good place to come over to escort them to the other pay off social obligations to business side. There the court of Rex would pay acquaintances and people from the homage to the court of Comus. It office." should not escape anyone that this ges- ture signifies the acknowledgement Tuesday „ night someone even not only of the Comus sovereigns but sneaked in a Cajun (not very socially of the their entire community; the ac- acceptable in New Orleans society). knowledgment that in New Orleans su- There was also a woman in her 60s premacy is determined by lineage. who was outfitted in hot pants with 6o long half-skirt. "Disgusting, but At Comus, meanwhile, where only what can you do?" said a member. the night before the Krewe Proteus had had its ball against an underwater "That would never happen at Co- backdrop, the maskers were dancing mus," said a horrified member of both with their ladies in the "call-out-" sec- . "They don't even allow wom- tion, while people in white-tie watched en in evening pants." People are still from the balcony. talking about the time several years Comus had been, transformed into a ago when socialite musician Peter and breathtakingly exquisite fairyland with Cheray Duchin were thrown out of white-carpeted dance floor, gold, red Comus because she wore pants. There and white draperies, gold candlelabra, was a minor flurry Tuesday night white and gold thrones and white flow- when the town's two most socially ers everywhere. On the throne sat the prominent women, Mrs. Leon Erwin King (identity unknown) and Queen and Mrs. Brooke Duncan, appeared (Miss Clara Pollard Walmsley), both in in the same dress. white satin, bathed in rhinestones with rhinestone and ermine mantles, she Rex is not a masked event as is holding a scepter, he a silver goblet. Comus. It is a white-tie affair. Con- All of the members of Comus were sequently, the King of Rex is an- masked and in costume including- the nounced, while the identity of the Captain of Comus who was in white (masked King of Comus, remains a satin and rhinestones. secret. Everyone at Rex is allowed to dance as ppposed to the "call-out" as midnight approached, the Cap- tain of Comus appeared at Rex to es- System at Comus and the other tra- ditional balls. There is no drinking or cort the monarchs to the other side. smoking on the floor of Rex but there That meant most of the Rex guests had to go home. Only those ivho are is a "punch room" upstairs where men members of both Krewes or very, very and women can drink (even if it is out special guests are allowed to watch the of plastic glasses). spectacle. Several little cards with The court of Rex appeared at 9:30 one's name on them are issued and the p.m. for the Grand March after rest- crossover is done quietly, and with dig- ing from the that after- nity so as not to offend the uninvited. . noon. The King wore a gold rhine- A hushed silence fell as the band stone-covered tunic, blond wig, rhine- struck up "If Ever I Cease to Love", stone crown ana enormous mantle em- the Rex theme, and the King and broidered in rhinestones and trimmed Queen of Rex approached the King with ermine and carried a large scep- and Queen of Comus. Little pages, the ter. The Queen wore a golden gown children of prominent members, scur- intricately embroidered with beads, ried about arranging the mantles. crystals and rhinestones and had a Along with the masked court and crown, scepter and mantle identical the dukes, the four monarchs, joined to the King's. by five debutantes from each court, After the Grand March the King and made a procession around the dance Queen took their seats on the purple, floor waving their scepters and goblets United Prue xnternationai A winner in the Gay Costume-fudging Contest in the French Quarter _ was Four Seasons, a Washington, D.C. entry. Three of the Seasons, from left, Fail, Summer and Winter. to the reverent applause of the guests, then took their places on the throne. Now, any other day of the year any social person in New Orleans will tell you this whole business is all foolish- ness and nonsense. But on Mardi Gras night, when the courts of Comus and Rex meet, each person in that audi- ence is as deadly serious as if he were watching the coronation of Henry the VII. This is their fantasy. And if you close your eyes for just the tiniest min- ute, you can almost believe in it. As one Comus member put it, "If you can make believe, it might just get you through another year." Luncheon at Antoine's, New Orleans' world-famous restaurant, is the thing• to do the day before Mardi Gras. An- toine's is closed to the general public on Monday so it can seat all the "best" people in town. Tables are inherited and some people can't even count the number of years they've been sitting in the same place. Even though Antoine's has become a tourist trap, the locals still go there. requesting their own waiters by name rather than making reservations. Wait- ers are inherited too. Everybody knows that you never order what's on the menu. Special creole dishes are to be asked for. United Press international Monday before Mardi Gras at An- Dr. Howard Mahorner, who reigned as Rex, King of Carnival during Mardi Gras greets crowds lining toine's is the annual luncheon of the the balconies on St. Charles Avenue. , the second most so- cial men's Mardi Gras organization. The men lunch and drink in the back say that lunch at Antoine's is the most lition worker, "but most of these kids room. Later, with the aid of some of fun event of Mardi Gras. For one are suffering more from an overdose the more musical Waiters on trumpet, thing, it signals, for the upper-class of alcohol than an overdose of drugs." they form a conga line and snake crowd, the beginning of the festivities. The streets were beginning to trash dance through the tables in the front up, even though for the first time room. Then the ladies are invited back Monday it poured all day as young glasses and beer cans were prohibited. to join the gentlemen. people arrived by the thousands, many Monday night was the proteus ball, The luncheon begins in an atmos- without places to stay. The Mardi Gras held, to he sure, in the Municipal Audi- phere of strict Southern gentility and Coalition, formed several years ago, torium where all the top balls are ends up hours later in a boozy brouh- was going crazy. Many of the churches held. There, the Queen, a debutante of aha. which had opened their doors to young the season, was presented in front of a You wouldn't believe these are re- people last year refused to do the fabulous underwater tableau with fined, respectable buslnesimen the same this year and placement was im- smoke rising from the fishnet floor, rest of the year," said one flushed Por- possible. For the first time in years, seaweed hanging from the ceiling and lean, kicking up his heels. however, the drug situation was under . hobbles coming—out of a bubble• ma- Many New Orleaneans who know control. "I can't believe it," said a Coe- chine in front of seashell throne. The only place to watch the Zulu and Rex parades is the Boston Club, ideally located in' the center of down- town Canal Street. It is at the Boston Club that the Queen of Rex—this year, Miss Lynn Agnes Favrot and her debutante maids (all in similar pastel "ensembles") join their escorts who are dressed in morn- ing coats for a musical champagne breakfast. On Mardi Gras morning, people be- gin to 'gather at the Boston Club at about 11:30. Their invitation cards are carefully checked at the door by a member in morning, coat and white Proteus is the most structured of the gloves. The ladies, in mink stoles (it's traditional balls. The favored ladies of too hot for a greater show of the community in "bas couture" re- affluence), simple little dresses, pearls, ceive special invitations or "call-outs" Davidow suits, hats and gloves begin to sit in the orchestra section off the to gather on the covered platform for dance floor. There they await the non- the parade. member floor committeemen in white- The grandstand, constructed for the tie and red carnations to call them out parade, overlooks Canal Street and is for a dance. The floor committeemen, set up with a throne for the Queen and after shouting the ladies' name until her maids who appeared at 12:30 to she appears, then present her to the watch the festivities and wave to the masked member who requested her as thousands thronging below. his dancing partner. There was an atmosphere of antici- The floor committmen are never, pation and excitement shared by those never allowed to dance. Once the milling and crowding the streets and dance is over the lady gets a favor and those on the Queen's platform, as sits down. Most of the ladies spend though there really were going to be a most of the evening sitting down. For coronation and everybody believed it. one thing there are more ladies and • The people wanted, clamored for roy- for another, many of the men are slip- alty. Those so designated for a day as- ping back and forth to the back room sumed the role with relish. Miss Fav- to get a little nip. rot, the shy debutante, waved regally There are also those guests who get and confidently at her subjects and Dr. only a straight invitation and must sit Howard Mahorner, riding on his float in the balcony in white-tie and long became, for real, the benevolent Rex. dress and just watch, relieved only by Brooke Duncan, a tall and distin- an occasional favor thrown up to them guished looking social and civic leader by a masker below. and Captain of Rex recalled his reign the year before last. "I remember "The masked ball always bores out- when I first got in my costume with of-towners to death," said one member, my crown," he said. "I got terribly em- "And I don't blame them. But to us barrassed when the first people bowed this is a ritual of great significance. It to me." is a Southern ritual of paying homage "Then when we got around the first to our ladies. Each event at Mardi corner and I could see the crowds, I Gras is a ceremony of paying court to waved a little self-consciously. When I our Queens. The men love. it and the got out into the main street and saw ladies love it even more. It is elegant, those thousands of people waving to romantic and chivalrous." The Comus me and screaming, I never wanted to Ball follows much the same structured stop being King. It's amazing how "call-out" system. quickly megalomania will overtake It is true that no one, even those You." Duncan sans one of the hard who didn't dance much, seemed bored. things to remember about being Rex is It is also true that they were lined up that he is just a symbol: "The King be- three deep by 11:30 in their mink longs to the people for one day and stoles waiting for their limousines to their affection for him is for the sym- transport them out of the Kingdom of bol. they don't really give a damn who the God of the Sea and to the watering he is." hole of the Queen's supper, given by The Zulu Parade passed by the .Bos- the parents of the debutante "Queen." ton Club where Rex, with Queen Lu- Everything starts early on Mardi cille Armstrong, Satchmo's widow, Gras Day. For blacks, the Zulu Parade reigned. Next came the floats. There is begins at 8 A.M. and precedes the Rex a major division in the black commu- Parade, the major parade of Mardi nity as to whether the maskers should Gras. go black-faced with white eyes and Rex is King of Carnival, always a mouths, grass skirts and jungle attire noted civic and social leader, always as they have in the past years. The old announced to the public on Mardi times won out again this year and they Gras Day, this year a prominent doe- went back-faced, tor. He is always a member of the ex- The highlight of the Rex Parade was clusive Boston Club. His Queen is al- the arrival, to a near frenzy, of Ms ways the debutante daughter of an- Majesty's float. His toasts to the other prominent member of the Krewe Queen, the people of New orleans, and of Rex, also a member of the Boston his presentation of flowers to the Club. Queen and "dear Stella", his wife, brought cheers and tears from those like getting a degree." Mame said they on the stand and down below. hadn't had any hecklers this year on Then it was time for luncheon and a the way to the conntest but that regu- little nap before the Rex Ball and?or lar street people were not as receptive Comus, the most excluxive ball of the as "our own kind." season. Nasty catcalls came from the bal- For those who are members of both, cony as the judge gave a trophy to an which ball to attend is a trying deci- "inferior contestant," and a quarrel sion, and worse, If one has the oppor- broke out between two onlookers who tunity to be King of both making a began hitting each other with their choice is just too awful. To be secret Mardi Gras beads and had to be torn King of Comus and arrive at the pin- apart. Another group from the "Lost nacle of social acceptance or to reap and Found" had just walked off with the glory and public recognition of be- the best female costume award with a ing rex . . portrayal of Martha Washington and Meanwhile, down in the street iof her pagei. And a third Washington the French Quarter, another part of contestant who had appeared last year Mardi gras was taking place. The Gay as "Flambeau Fantastique" was outfit- Costume-Judging Contest which packs "Have you even seen so many beauti- thousands of mostly street people, ful girls in your life?" cried the judge. rather then tourists or straight locals, The crowd erupted. into Bourbon Street each year, is to For the street people, the costume- many what Mardi Gras is all about. judging contest was the only really Every year the contest has been held Mardi Gras event beside the parades by "Jake" Jacobs, owner of a Bourbon and once they were over, so was Carni- Steet bar. This year Jacobs cancelled val. For them there was nothing left to the contest to protest the city's new qr- do but roam around, try to dind a dinance forbidding the parades to go place to sleep and try not to get through the French Quarter—highly busted. For the gays, it was just begin- unpopular, though instigated as a fire and safety measure. ning, with private parties all over the Instead, a gay bar across the street, Quarter. Lafitte's in Exile, one of Truman Ca- For the wealthy and civic elite there pote's hangouts, was the scene of this were the tex and Comus Balls at the year's contest. Upstairs at Lafitte's was Municipal Auditorium where the cul- a private lunceon where ladies (real mination of Mardi Gras would take ladies) were invited. Downstairs, no la- place. dies are allowed during Mardi Gras. For everybody there would be the "There's just too much going on, you terrible anticlimactic feeling, the let- know." down, and for those who actually ob- A platform was set up outside with served Mardi Gras as a-religious festi- people upstairs handing over the bal- val, there would be Lent. cony to watch the lafittes bartender, Some people think this year's Mardi the "Bert Parks of Mardi Gras" carry Gras was deader than ever, that not on. Waitresses upstairs were hustling having it in the French Quarter has customers to drink. killed it, and that the Superdome Representatives from a Washington, "packaged Mardi Gras" for tourists in D.C., gay bar, the "Lost and Found" 1975 will ruin it if the freaks and hip- ran away with all the best prizes, A pies don't first. feat they have accomplished for the If Mardi Gras ever does end, it won't past four years. Representing the Four be the people of New Orleans who put Seasons—Summer, Fall, winter and a stop to it. It will be from outside in- Spring—were Jerry, Mame, Sybil and fluence, they feel. Phyllis, first-prize winners of the "Hell," said a local politician, "entourage" contest. "We're so excited we can hardly "whenever I travel the only thing peo- stand it." said Mame. "Mardi Gras is ple ever aske me about is Mardi Gras. fabulous for gays. Last year I really That's out whole identity and our lifes- lived for the first time in my life. For tyle. If we ever lost Mardi Gras we'd gay people it's a coming of age. It's be nothing."